Resilient side bearing



March 25, 195s T. R. scHuLz 2,828,169

RESILIENT SIDE BEARING Filed Aug 30, 1954 his Attorney RESILIENT SIDE BEARING Theodore R. Schulz, Prospect Heights, lll., assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a

corporation of Maryland Application August 30, 1954, Serial No. 452,881

6 Claims. (Cl. 308-138) This invention relates to resilient side bearings for .railway vehicles and has for its primary object the provislon of an improved resilient side bearing wherein the "relatively movable parts are spaced entirely by rubber and the rubber is subjected to shear, alone, by the relative movement of its parts under load.

In Blattner application, Serial No. 341,757, tiled March ll, 1953, now Patent No. 2,788,250, it is pointed out that cation. They are even more closely approached by' that of this application by limiting the forces on the rubber The requirements of an ideal side bearing under vertical load to shear forces and eliminating varil ations in the compression of the rubber over the range of travel of the side bearing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved resilient side b'earing in which rubber bonded between relatively movable metal parts and so arranged as to be subjected to shear alone by the forces acting on it under vertical load, is precompressed for prolonged effective life of the bond.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved resilient side bearing whereby noise in operation is eliminated by spacing the metal part of the side bearing, which moves in operation, from both its stationary me'tal part and the contacted part of the car bynonmetallic sound-deadening means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved resilient side bearing which is eicient in operation and the metal parts of which may be made from structural shapes for economy in manufacture. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be parv Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the side bearing of Figure 1, with portions broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate certain of the details of construction; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure l.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved resilient side bearing of the present invention is comprised of a base member or housing 1 having a pair of upstanding or upright transversely or laterally spaced side walls 2 whose inner confronting faces 3 arev substantially planar and parallel. The side walls 2 surmount a base 4 which may be a base plate common to and ZZGQ Patented Mar. 25, 1958 2 integral with the side walls, as in the illustrated embodiment, or a multi-part base, depending on whether the base member is fabricated or cast and on the type of truck bolster or side frame (not shown) on which it is to be mounted.

The disclosed preferred embodiment is also illustrative of the preferred mode of construction of the metal components or parts of the side bearing in which, for economy in manufacture, the several components are fabricated from structural shapes or pieces. In the form shown, in which the base plate 4 is integral with the side walls 2, the base member 1 is of U-shape in vertical section and may conveniently be stamped from a fiat plate. The base member is designed to be bolted or votherwise fixed to the truck bolster or side frame to which it is applied, the base plate 4 for this purpose being provided with bolt holes S in either end beyond the ends of the side walls 2.

Housed between the inner faces 3 of the side walls '2 is a substantially flat or parallel-sided stem or tongue 6 of ka T-shaped cap, cover member or shoe 7 and the means by which vertical movement of the cap and base members is yieldably resisted. This means is constituted by a pluralityof natural or synthetic rubber pads 8 bonded to the sides 9 of the Vstern 6 of the cap member 7 and spacing the stem substantially equidistant from or midway between the inner faces 3 of the side walls -2 of the base member 1.' The rubber pads may be bonded directly to the side walls 2 but, preferably, are bonded -to flat side plates 10 which directly engage the side walls. This sandwiching of the pads between the tongue and tlie side plates enables the cap member and resilient means to be inserted or removed as a unit without disturbing the housing.

For holding the capv member and its pads within the housing, there are provided one or more bolts orstuds 11 (preferably two), disposed intermediate the vertical limits of the inner faces 3 and extending transversely through the side walls and the intervening side plates 10 and tongue 6. These bolts may be headed at one end or, as shown, threaded at both ends, and their shanks 12 rnay be square or round, square shanks with corresponding rectangular slotting of the side walls, plates and tongue, being preferred as providing better bearing conditions under forces tending to move the cap member laterally relative to the base member.

it will be noted that the lateral clearance between the shanks 12 of the bolts 11 and the side walls 2 and side plates l0, while sufficient to permit ready insertion of the bolts, is such that the side plates arecarried by and locked or xed in position relative to the side walls. Thus, the inner faces 13 of the side plates i0, relative to the rubber pads 8, in effect serve as the inner faces of the side walls when the components of the side bearing are in assembled relation. The slotting of the tongue 6, however, is of greater extent to provide vertically elongated slots 14 of suflicient length to encompass the range of vertical movement of the tongue relative to the side plates 10 from the height of the cap member with the rubber pads free (about one-half an inch above that shown), the condition on initial insertion of the cap member 7 in the housing 1, through the working or installed height of the side bearing, shown in the accompanying drawings, to the solid height of the bearing. Not only are the slots 14 elongated vertically but they are enlarged horizontally, as well, relative to the bolt shanks 12, the horizontal or lateral clearance being necessary under certain forces.

The rubber pads 8, while substantially coterminous vertically with the tongue 6', are not also coextensive in length. Instead, there preferably area plurality of rubber pads bonded .toeach side. of Vthe tongue andthe pads so spaced, longitudinally of the tongue on each lside of the-slots 14, as to clear the Shanks 12-of the bolts during relative vertical movement of the capjmember. The bulging of the'rubber pads Sshown in Figure 2 is the result of predetermined lateral compression under which they are-placed by their insertion between the side walls 2 of the base 4, this compression being maintained in case of the one-piece base of the illustratedembodiment by the nuts'A 15 on thethreadelendsl 1,6 of the bolts4 and, if thebase ismulti-piece,beingV both applied and thereafter maintained by tightening otthe nuts. It has as its purpose tomore equallydistribute the shear forces under vertical load overY the thickness of the pads,v rather than concentrating it in the bondsbetween the tongue 6 and side platesy 10, as would otherwise be thev case. vThis lateral'compression thus effects a markedprolon'gationiin the life of theside bearing. However, if excessive, it would interfere withthe action. of the side bearing. Consequently, the shanks 12 of.v the bolts ll are made of such length that the nuts 15,. when pulledup tight, will automatically tixthe spacing between thev side-wallszk to place the rubber padsunder the correct amountsofv cornpressionwearV onthe side walls that may interfere with thisadustment being prevented by the interposedwash- 'ers1'T,.V nce the nutsY 15. have been `drawntight they may be, lockedagainst accidental rotation by any. suitable means'suchl as-A the illustrated tack Welds 1,8.

Anchoredto. theV truck bolsterV or side. frame through its basev member 1', the side bearing acts against the` underside ofthe overlying portion .of the car body (.,not` shown), VusuaIy the body bolster (not shown.) throughl the ilattopp'edhead or cross-piece 19 of the T-shaped c ap mem.- ber 7. Integralwith the tongue. 6 and with its upper surface or. top 2'0 disposed normal thereto, thehead and tongue conveniently may be cut as a unit from a standard T-beam. The head 19 preferablyrs substantially eoextensive longitudinally with the side walls 2 and overlaps them laterally soV that any over-solid blows will Vbe distributed equally Ybetween the side walls.

In the conventional side bearing there is metal-to-metal contact' between the side bearing and the car body. The objections tol this arethat' it creates noise on any relative lateral movement' between the' side' bearing' and the carbody and also is relativelyinedective in. resistingsuc'h lateral movement. Both' the; desired resistance to such movement andA noiseless contact'between' the' side bearing and the car body'are here? 'obtained by' bonding to theV top 20 of the head 19:' a' strip 21 of brake-lining or like material which, likev rubber, is inherently' of high :trictional` resista-nce and sound-deadening This strip of brake-lining material spacesthe metal cap member 7 from the car body and: also serves as a replaceable wear plate of excellent wearfresi'stan'ce to save the capmember from wear.

Contained between and bonded to faces which are' xed, respectively, to the' hous'ingl' and the'. capv mem-berl 7 andare substantially parallel bot-h'. to each-other and to the direction of relative movementy of the cap member under vertical load, the rubber pads S are subjected only torshear forces. by the car body as itmoves..vertically relative to the truck mounting the side bearing'.V The resistance of the rubber to such forcesal'though not. con st'ant', increases ata substantially constant rate over the' range of compressive movement. Whilegthroughout this movement, the rubber pads.- are. also preferably under compression, this compression is a function entirely of. the predeterminedlateral forces4 applied to the rubberen-4 tightening of the bolts, and' is Vnot varied by relative movement of the car body and the housing. of the side Y bearing; Consequently', the side bearingV ofY the present. invention applies a constant resistance to relative vertical movement of the truck bolster or other member on which it is mounted and the car body, which varies at a substantially constant rate, thus approximating the requirements under such conditions of an ideal side bearing and effectively preventing car body nosing and truck shirnmying. f

As the side bearing is designed to bermounted with its longitudinaldimension disposedY longitudinally of the car body and transversely of the truck bolster on which it will usually be mounted, approximates the Yideal requirements, as well, on swivelling of the truck relative to the car body since,- there again, theV rubber is subjected only to shear forces. r`Only on movement of the cap member 7 laterally of the housing 1 would there be a change in the compression on the rubber and thus a variation in its resistance. Since in View of the transverse disposi tion ofthe side. bearing relativeto the truck bolster, such lateral movement wouldnot occur except on transverse movement of the truck bolster relative to the car body and such movement is negligible, compression under c ar bodyI load is notl a factor in the normal operation of the side bearing. s Y

It will beV evident thatV the(4 vertical and longitudinal forces, the only onesv to which the side bearing will be subjected in normal operation, `both act along a longer dimension of. the1rubber pads. AThis action, coupled with the energy vabsorption inherent in rubber, renders the side bearing soft in action..and,contrary to side bearings using coil. springs, capable ofsnubbing its own movements without the use of abuilt-in snubbing, device.

t. has been mentionedk that the side bearing is compressed or contracted to Workingfheight on installation. While somevariation is acceptable, it is preferred that .the working height or?. a givenside bearing be substantially the-same, regardlessyof. the spacing of the members between which the side bearing. is4 interposed. This sameness. inwerking heightmay readily be obtained by insert-inglone or moreshims 22as necessary, between the base plate 4 'and the member on whichl the side bearing isx'nounted. I u v y A 4 From-the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved resilient side bearing.y whichl is simple in construction, silent in operation and applies resistance which varies at a substantially constant ratev throughout its range of travel underV operating comglitions.` VIt. shouldbe understood that thedescribed..and/disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention andthat all modications are intended toy be included which do not. depart either from tbespirit of the-.invention or the scope of the appended claims; n

Having describedmy invention, I claim.: s

l. The combination, witha railway truck and. a car body, of a resilient side bearing interposed therebetween, said side'bearingrcomprising a b ase member mountable 0n said truck. and having. laterally spaced side walls upstanding therefrom,A a cap member extending between andl spaced from. saidwallsrfor limited vertical and horizontal movementV relative to said base member, said cap member having.. a bea-ring. surface constantly urgeable againstl an undersideV of said car body, substantially vertically disposed c'onfronti-ng faces carried by said side walls and capvmember, said faces being substantially planar and parallel and extending substantially in a direction of` horizontal movement of said car body relative to said truck', and rubber means interposed between and bonded to said faces: and subjected to shear alone by said relative vertical movement-of said base and capl members.

t 2. The. combination, withl a railway truck and a car body, of areSilient side; bearing interposed. therebetween-,- said. Vside.. bearing comprising a housing mountableY on said. truck; and. havingV laterally spaced upstanding side walls,` a. cap memberV extendingbetween said Vside walls housing, means connecting said housing and cap member for limiting said relative vertical movement, substantially vertically disposed confronting faces lixed against movement to said side walls and cap member, said faces being substantially planar and parallel and extending substantially in a direction of relative horizontal movement of said body and truck, rubber means interposed between and bonded to said faces, and friction and sound-deadening means on an upper face of said cap member for spacing said cap member from and directly and constantly engaging an underside of said car body.

3. The combination, with a railway truck and a car body, of a resilient side bearing interposed therebetween, said side bearing comprising a housing member mountable on said truck and having transversely spaced side walls upstanding therefrom, a T-shaped cap member movable vertically and horizontally relative to said housing member and having its stem extending between said side walls, said cap member having its head overlying said side walls and carrying a surface constantly urgeable against an underside of said car body, substantially vertically disposed confronting faces xed against movement to said side walls and stem, said faces being substantially planar and parallel and extending substantially in a direction of relative horizontal movement of saidbody and truck, rubber pads interposed between and bonded to said faces, and means extending transversely through said side walls and stem for connecting said members and placing said rubber means under predetermined transverse compression.

4. The combination, with a railway truck and a car body, of a resilient side bearing interposed therebetween, said side bearing comprising a housing member mountable on said truck and having transversely spaced side walls upstanding therefrom, a T-shaped cap member movable vertically and horizontally relative to said housing member and having its stern extending between said side walls, said cap member having its head overlying said side walls and carrying a surface constantly urgeable against an underside of said car body, transversely spaced side plates between and engaging said side walls, rubber pads interposed between and bonded to substantially vertically disposed confronting faces on said stem and side plates, said faces being substantially planar and parallel and extending substantially in a direction of relative horizontal movement of said body and truck, and means extending through said side walls, side plates and stem for fixing said side plates against movement relative to said side walls, limiting said relative movement of said cap and housing members and placing said rubber pads under predetermined transverse compression.

5. The combination, with a railway truck and al car body, of a resilient side bearing interposed therebetween, said side bearing comprising a housing member mountable on said truck and having transversely spaced side walls upstanding therefrom, a T-shaped cap member movable vertically and horizontally relative to said housing member and having its stem extending between said side walls, said cap member having its head overlying said side walls and carrying a surface constantly urgeable against an underside of said car body, transversely spaced side plates between and engaging said side walls, rubber pads interposed between and bonded to substantially vertically disposed confronting faces on said stem and side plates, said faces being substantially planar and parallel and extending in a direction of relative horizontal movement of said body and truck, and rectangular-shanked bolt means extending transversely through rectangular slots in said side walls, side plates and stem for fixing said side plates against movement relative to said side walls and placing said rubber pads under predetermined transverse compression, said slots in said stem being vertically elongated and determining the range of said relative vertical movement of said cap member.

6. A resilient side bearing for railway vehicles comprising a housing member having transversely spaced upstanding side walls adapted to extend substantially longitudinally of a railway vehicle body, a T-shaped cap member movable vertically and longitudinally relative to said housing member and having its stem extending between and overlapping said side walls, transversely spaced side plates between and engaging said side walls, rubber pads interposed between and bonded to confronting faces on said stem and side plates, said faces being disposed parallel to each other and to the directions of said relative movement of said cap member, square-shanked bolts extending through rectangular slots in said side walls, side plates and stem for fixing said side plates against movement to said side walls and placing said rubber pads under predetermined transverse compression, said slots in said stem being vertically and longitudinally elongated and determining the ranges of said relative movements of said cap member, and friction and sound-deadening means bonded to an upper face of said cap member for spacing said cap member from and directly engaging said vehicle body.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,810,718 Lord June 16, 1931 2,138,175 Keys Nov. 29, 1938 2,138,449 Hallquist Nov. 29, 1938 2,543,484 Borup Feb. 27, 1951 2,569,617 Parson Oct. 2, 1951 2,698,208 Dilg Dec. 28. 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,776 Sweden a Sept. 4, 1951 

